5 Takeaways From The Miami Heat's 2014 Free Agency Moves

Miami Heat: 5 Takeaways From Pat Riley's Offseason Moves

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All the free agency headlines are geared towards LeBron, but the Heat have already moved towards next season. Miami has had a surprisingly good offseason after losing LeBron to the Cavaliers, and the team is still positioned to be a playoff team in the East. Here are five takeaways from Pat Riley's offseason moves.

5. Miami Is Still A Great Free Agent Destination

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5. Miami Is Still A Great Free Agent Destination

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Despite losing LeBron, the Heat are actually having, all things considered, a good offseason. The team surprisingly re-signed Chris Bosh to a max deal and held on to Chris "Birdman" Andersen. Pat Riley also landed Luol Deng, who was a great player in Chicago. Should Miami retain Dwyane Wade, the Heat will be in a solid position to compete in the Eastern Conference next season.

4. Miami's Offensive Strategy Hasn't Changed

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4. Miami's Game Plan Hasn't Changed

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LeBron was undoubtedly the best player on Miami's roster, but the team's small ball strategy depended largely on the versatility of Chris Bosh. Keeping Bosh was huge for Spoelstra and the Heat, as the 6-foot-11 star could step into LeBron's old role and lead the Heat in scoring and rebounding.

3. Luol Deng Is Still Elite

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3. Luol Deng Is Still Elite

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Luol Deng is receiving a contract worth $ 20 million, so it's readily apparent that Miami still thinks he is an elite player. Signing Deng was a huge pickup for the Heat, as the 29-year-old small forward will help pick up some of the slack left by LeBron's departure. Deng could really help Miami contend for the Eastern Conference crown next season.

2. Miami Is Still Confident Without LeBron

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2. Miami Is Still Confident Without LeBron

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Despite losing LeBron, Miami's aggressive offseason shows that the team still thinks it can compete. With the roster put together so far by Pat Riley, Miami absolutely has a chance to be competitive in an Eastern Conference that is pretty weak. The Heat won't be as good as last season, but Cleveland, Chicago and Indiana will still have to go through South Beach if they want to reach the FInals.

1. The Heat Clearly Aren't Looking To Rebuild

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1. The Heat Clearly Aren't Looking To Rebuild

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Most would think that losing LeBron means Miami will be in a rebuilding phase, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The Heat have aggressively gone after free agents and have had some success, landing Deng while retaining Birdman and Bosh. Miami might have lost LeBron, but let's not count the Heat out completely.